68 pages 2 hours read

Doris Lessing

The Golden Notebook

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1962

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Part 5Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 5: “Free Women: 3”

Part 5 Summary: “Tommy adjusts himself to being blind while the older people try to help him.”

Tommy survives the self-inflicted wound, though it has damaged the optic nerve; he will be permanently blind. He takes the news in stride, and all evidence of the emotional disturbance that drove him to commit his nearly fatal act appears to be gone. Instead, he is slow and careful and controlling. He refuses the offer of a halfway house or rehabilitation and moves back home with Molly. His moods and needs dominate the household. Anna rarely visits anymore, though Marion comes over frequently to spend time with Tommy. They talk about politics. Marion, it seems, has quit drinking.

Richard invites Anna to his office to have a talk. Anna dreads it, but she meets with him anyway. Richard has taken up with his secretary, and he wants to leave Marion—though he complains bitterly that she has already left him. Anna tells him that Marion probably will not mind; she thinks that Richard should offer to pay for Tommy and Marion to go abroad for a while. She believes that Tommy will take a job with Richard after this if Richard is gentle with him. Richard is furious at the situation, and he blocks Anna’s exit for a moment.

When she finally takes her leave of Richard, Anna finds herself having a panic attack in the underground.

Related Titles

By Doris Lessing

SuperSummary Logo
Study Guide
Doris Lessing
Guide cover image
SuperSummary Logo
Plot Summary
Doris Lessing
Guide cover placeholder
SuperSummary Logo
Plot Summary
Doris Lessing
Guide cover placeholder
SuperSummary Logo
Study Guide
Doris Lessing
Guide cover image
SuperSummary Logo
Plot Summary
Doris Lessing
Guide cover placeholder
SuperSummary Logo
Plot Summary
Doris Lessing
Guide cover placeholder
SuperSummary Logo
Study Guide
Doris Lessing
Guide cover image
SuperSummary Logo
Study Guide
Doris Lessing
Guide cover image
SuperSummary Logo
Study Guide
Doris Lessing
Guide cover image